![flatbed tandem axle weight distribution flatbed tandem axle weight distribution](https://www.johnsontrailerco.com/trailers/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Tandem-Axle-High-Side-Trailer-05.jpg)
If attached to the trailer they bend while attempting to block forward motion of a loosened cargo, causing the long load to go above the cab and driver. In the event of long pipes or steel or lumber coming loose in a hard braking incident, they save the operator and cab/sleeper in one of two manners in theory. A bulkhead or "headache rack" is sometimes be attached to the front of either a straight or a stepdeck trailer for load securement at the front of the deck.
#Flatbed tandem axle weight distribution driver
Shorter trailers used for local jobs such as landscaping and building material delivery within urban or local areas can have a "hitchhiker" type forklift truck attached to the back in order for driver alone to deliver and unload pallet/skid items. These stepdecks can come with loading ramps to allow vehicles to roll on and off of the back from ground level. They also have a natural upwards bend so that when loaded they straighten out to be more flat, rather than to sag in the middle under a load.Īnother popular type of flatbed trailer is a stepdeck (or drop deck) with approximately 2 feet lower deck and low profile wheels to accommodate taller loads, without hitting low bridges or tunnels. Incredibly light and very expensive to purchase, all aluminium trailers are very slippery when wet, flex more and are easily damaged. Body and frame can be one of 3 general designs: the heaviest and sturdiest is all steel (usually with wood planks), Ever popular combo with steel frame and aluminium bed, these type often have wood portions for nailing down dunnage boards), and aluminium (which is the lightest allowing for more cargo to be legally carried without overweight permits). Various lengths and combination setups can only be legally driven on turnpike/toll roads which are far too long for most roadways. Some older trailers still in service are only 45 feet or shorter if used in sets of doubles or triples (often used to haul hay). In North America, the length is commonly 48 feet or 53 feet, and the width is either 96 or 102 inches (including rub rails and stake pockets on the sides, which generally placed every 2 feet). Neither are abnormal load carriers for heavy haulage. Low loaders, for construction machinery and heavy plant vehicles, are not considered as flatbeds. The haulage and logistics business also changed around the same time as a greater proportion became more regular in nature, such as standard daily loads of equally-sized boxes from a distribution centre to a supermarket, rather than the unpredictable ad hoc nature or earlier road transport.įlatbeds are still in use, but are now used for more specialised cargoes, such as constructional steelwork or lighter abnormal loads, such as machinery. Both of these protect loads from the weather and can be quickly loaded with standard loads, but are more restrictive for single bulky loads, loaded by crane. Pallet loads are carried in either box bodies, loaded through rear doors, or curtain-sided bodies loaded through the sides. Containers are carried on specialised semi-trailers with twistlocks in the corners to retain the container. These reduced the skill of 'roping up' and improved the control of tension, leading to fewer shed loads.įlatbeds became rare in the 1980s as the majority of road freight changed to either containers or pallet loads carried on larger and more efficient trucks, optimised for quicker loading by fork-lift trucks. Some improvement was made with the general replacement of ropes by flat webbing straps, tightened with a ratchet. The slowness of loading loads like this led to the development of more efficient truck designs with enclosed bodies. There is also little theft protection for such a load. There is also the risk that an improperly secured load may be shed in transit, often leading to accidents or road blockages.
#Flatbed tandem axle weight distribution manual
These manual loading techniques are slow and require some care and skill. Weather protection is optionally provided by manually 'sheeting' the load with a tarpaulin, held down by ropes. The bed of a flatbed truck has tie-down hooks around its edge and techniques such as a trucker's hitch are used to tighten them.
![flatbed tandem axle weight distribution flatbed tandem axle weight distribution](https://www.curtmfg.com/media/wysiwyg/Load_Weight_on_Trailer_60-40.jpg)
Loads are retained by being manually tied down with ropes.